Information storage and retrieval systems may have a cache for storing and providing data. In a cache, information is stored in predetermined sets which are defined by address locations. When the cache becomes full and additional storage is needed for information, an algorithm is commonly used to determine which existing information in the cache is to be replaced and substituted by new information. Examples of well known replacement algorithms which are utilized are first-in first-out (FIFO) and least recently used (LRU). The LRU algorithm identifies the information to be replaced and classifies the new information as the most recently used (MRU). Others have implemented the LRU replacement algorithm with computer software. However, software implemented algorithms are typically very slow. One known hardware implementation of an LRU algorithm utilizes what is typically referred to as a "push-down" stack. A rank ordered plurality of stacked storage registers is coupled in series to calculate the most recently used to least recently used sets of information. The storage registers require initialization via an initializer to establish an initial status. Additional hardware is used to randomly access any addressed register and to couple the contents of that register to the MRU register while coupling the contents of all registers having a rank which is higher than the accessed register to the next lower register. The registers of lower rank than the randomly accessed register are unaffected. Priority identification bits are required to identify the rank of each information set. The number of priority identification bits is directly proportional to the number of sets. Further, the number of registers of each set equals the total number of sets. Therefore, the circuit board area required increases proportionately with the number of sets added. Since at all times the lowest ranked register of the stack contains the identification of information which is least recently used, when new information needs to be stored in an address location, the information in the LRU set is disposed of. A primary disadvantage with using the stack of rank ordered registers is the space and number of electronic parts required to implement the replacement algorithm.